10 questions with George Koertzen

But it might be the only skill some might bring with them when volunteering with Habitat for Humanity to build a home.

Volunteers are joined by construction students and would-be-homeowners in the work crews currently putting together the organization's 19-home Dream Creek development in southeast Stockton.

And the man making sure all those good intentions and varying levels of skill can come together to build an actual dwelling is George Koertzen, construction superintendent for Habitat for Humanity of San Joaquin County. The charity is probably best known for its practice of requiring people who intend to buy one of the homes to put in some of the work building the houses.

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Koertzen moved to the country with his family at the age of 12. The former pastor and longtime construction worker and contractor started out as a volunteer at the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity before taking the job as the construction superintendent.

"I tell people I've trained for 45 years for this job," said the 68-year-old, who now lives in Acampo.

With the buzz of construction happening all around him, Koertzen sat down on an upside-down bucket at Dream Creek with The Record on a recent morning to talk.

Question: In a nutshell, what is Habitat for Humanity?

Answer: The mission statement for Habitat for Humanity is to provide adequate housing for people.

Q: What does everybody think they know about Habitat for Humanity?

A: Most people think that Habitat for Humanity is a government program to provide housing for people, but it's not. It's a Christian organization. ... The funding is individual contributions, it's not government funding. ... Whatever money we need for these houses we have to get from people. It costs us between $50,000 and $100,000 to build a house, and that has to come from people.

Q: What's your role with Habitat for Humanity?

A: My role is to build the houses. But we're taking it a little bit beyond just building the houses ... we're teaching. ... We're trying to expand that so that students could build an entire house. ... It goes beyond just the students. ... All the volunteers that come have an opportunity to learn something.

Q: What is "sweat equity"?

A: Sweat equity is that each person has to put in 500 hours work on the house. That is something like a down payment.

Q: Why is that important?

A: What it does is make the house theirs before they move into it. ... They claim ownership a lot earlier.

Q: What is the simplest task anybody can do and still play a useful role in building a house?

A: Sweeping the floor. It takes a lot of sweeping floors.

Q: What are some of the rules you give to your new home-builders?

A: Rule No. 1: I never use my back when I can use a machine. ... Rule No. 3: There's got to be an easier way. ... Rule 5: Always think of the next person.

Q: Any other advice?

A: Bring an attitude. An attitude to work. ... If you come here with an attitude to work, we can teach you anything.

Q: Why do you do what you do?

A: I've got so many tricks and things I can show people to do. I thoroughly enjoy being able to do that. ... I'm loving it.

Q: Can you describe your most moving experience at Habitat for Humanity?

A: The volunteers. How people unselfishly give of themselves is a beautiful thing. ... We had one family that was having its family reunion on a Sunday ... so they decided to come here on Saturday and work together. So they did their family reunion at Habitat.